“Blood In The Sands

  Credible reports have emerged regarding the Battle Of Turner’s Point on the Traxo-Lucurian border. Casualty listings, battle reports and eyewitnesses have told AA that the rumors many have undoubtedly already heard about are true. The Traxian XVIII and VI legions had joined forces and decisively routed the latest Lucurian thrust within the region. Current documents and reporting suggests that at least 10,000 lay dead in the sands near Turner’s Point, staining the banks of the Trannoire red with blood. Sources close to…”

  - Arterian Affairs, Front Page News, “Breaking News: Traxia Repulses Lucuria”

  “Lady Evaline? Welcome back. But what is the meaning of this?” Head maid Hilda demanded.

  The prim and proper crone-like taskmaster of House Rosengart’s servants had finally been caught unawares by a situation. To her, there was too much going on. Soldiers on guard, an entire caravan of wagons and carriages. Orders being barked during the unloading process, and dozens of strange individuals all milling about said wagons. So many distractions were present that unlike her usual meticulous self, the eternally dissatisfied hag that could spot even the tiniest speck of dust that had been missed, she still hadn’t honed in on the fact that Sophie was present.

  “As you can see, Hilda. I am back.” Eva declared.

  Hilda shot her an exasperated, almost annoyed expression. The head maid found herself far less pleased about the glibness in her reply. Before she could make a bigger fuss about things, Eva decided to go on the offensive.

  “I also bring guests, if that wasn’t clear by the column of wagons.” Eva absently waved behind her, “And before you ask, no. They aren’t just touring. Have some of the staff prepare the guest house, please. While I’m all for preparing it ourselves…”

  Hilda almost scowled but managed to contain herself. Sophie took some joy in seeing the veins almost popping from her head.

  “Of course.” Hilda eked out a bow, “Freida, Leonie. Go find the ones who failed to show up here. That is their duty now.” She commanded.

  The two maids politely bowed and tried their best to shuffle their way back to the manor without being noticed. The hag’s eyes narrowed back over to Eva before starting to wander.

  “We will be hosting a group of saintesses and a saint, all of whom I consider my students.” Eva began, her voice adopting a far more serious tone in stark contrast to the playful almost snarky tone that she held before.

  “Saints?!” Hilda gasped, “Then…”

  “Then we will also be hosting friends and colleagues. Amongst their number a former princess, a renowned bard, warriors, and even an outlander who had renounced her sainthood but remains blessed by Astralis herself.” Eva pressed on, not giving HIlda a moment to breathe.

  “A tall order.” Hilda stated emotionlessly, the head maid having already primed herself back into a full work mentality in just moments.

  “Quite.” Eva confirmed, “But they are guests of House Rosengart and guests of Carrador itself. So we will at least prepare accommodations even if I intend to carry out training exercises and other activities with them.”

  “Training exercises? Then we ought to allocate some in the training fields or barracks for them.” The lead footman interjected.

  “My thanks captain, but there should be no need. I intend to have them carry out more practical exercises on the outskirts of town and in the woods nearby.”

  Hilda and the captain exchanged nervous glances. Both were concerned about the safety and enjoyment of the esteemed guests that they would now be responsible for. While the immediate Rosengart domain wasn’t near any overt threats like roving undead further in the north. There was still an element of unknown and danger that could arise outside the safety of the walls.

  “If you are worried, captain. You may send a small detachment as escorts. I trust the knights of House Rosengart to do their duties. But as you can see,” She motioned to Sir Taurox, the minotaur’s imposing form standing almost as tall as one of the wagons, “We have our own security too. In the town itself, a small church detachment went to pay respects to the bishop. But they are of the Argent Curia and also form part of that detail. Ah, like them.” She quickly pointed out two of the templars guarding the back of the caravan. Though Sophie noted how Eva had pointedly avoided the knights of the Red Hawk. Wardens, not security.

  “As you command, my lady.” The captain muttered.

  “And Hilda. Is that guest bedroom down the hall from mine still mostly unused?” Eva asked.

  Sophie immediately paled. She wanted to shake her head and assure Eva that it was alright. But making any movements at this point would’ve just drawn extra attention to herself. Yet, if she didn’t say something, there was an almost one hundred percent chance that Eva would say.

  “I believe it remains unused for now. Why?” Hilda replied.

  Sophie didn’t even need Eva to speak to know what was about to come out of her mouth. She preemptively cringed at the thought that she would now be recognised and judged.

  “You remember Sophie, don’t you? My attendant. She has returned. As a guest now, my guest.” Eva proudly stated.

  Sophie winced a little.

  Hilda frowned, clearly caught off guard and needing a moment or two to process the statement. But once she did, Sophie saw how her frown deepened. Her eyes then narrowed as she noticed Eva glance at Sophie and began scrutinizing the bodyguard near the lady’s side. Sophie shuffled uncomfortably. Even though she was an adventurer now, she didn’t think she would feel so conscious of the head maid’s gaze.

  “Sophie? Your… personal maid?” Hilda let out an aghast cry when she finally confirmed for herself that Sophie was indeed, Sophie.

  “The one and the same. But she walks her own path now.” Eva bobbed her head.

  Sophie tried to stand a little straighter. Her hand found comfort by resting atop the hilt of her blade. Trying to make it clear that she was no longer serving under the head maid’s purview.

  “Sophie? How... how improper.” Hilda scowled at her.

  “Head maid Hilda.” Sophie muttered.

  “What is the meaning of this? Does that mean she is not returning to household services?” Hilda tutted.

  “She is her own person, Hilda. But she is still family to me.” Eva reiterated.

  “Of course she is.” The head maid scowled.

  “So?”

  “What is it?”

  “The room, Hilda. Can you get some of the staff to prepare the room?”

  The head maid’s demeanor grew a little more hostile, but in the spirit of professionalism, Sophie could see the effort she was making in trying to appear unbothered. Heh.

  “Of course. Ilse, see to it.” Hilda commanded another.

  The maid dutifully bowed and scurried into the manor alongside the other two.

  “Anything else, Lady Rosengart?”

  “Yes, actually. Is my brother in?”

  “Lord Theodore is currently on a hunting expedition. His comrades are taking up the other guest house.”

  Eva let out an amused whistle, the smirk on her face likely irritating Hilda even more. Eva mumbled something to herself before nodding, a decision or another coming to fruition within her mind.

  “No need to send a messenger then. He can just be… surprised when comes back, hah! A whole military convoy with knights, templars, and soldiers. The look on his face.” Eva snickered.

  Hilda glared at Sophie, almost trying to tell her that it was her job to help control Eva. But Sophie just shrugged, wilting a little but still finding solace and guidance in Eva’s words. They were their own people, she wouldn’t be Eva’s minder the same way that they were children anymore. Nor was she particularly inclined to please the head maid, though she couldn’t shake the discomfort from just being in her presence.

  “If you say so.” Hilda almost sighed. The head maid had to spend a moment collecting herself before she drew in a deep breath and regained her haughty composure. “House staff, prepare for visitors.” She clapped her hands, scattering the gathered staff as everyone hurried off to attend to their newly acquired duties.

  “Captain.” Eva nodded towards the footman.

  “Of course, madam.” The man bowed, “Alright, lads. Household’s short staffed right now cause of the hunt and the capitol, let's help with unloading the cargo!”

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  “Sir! Mam!” Some of the other footmen saluted.

  “You two, first wagon! You two, second! Let’s move people!” The captain moved to join his men.

  Seeing the movement, the saints and the Lily Knights began dismounting. Sophie turned to seek quiet approval from Eva who granted it without hesitation. Relieved of her temporary duties, she hurried over to help Lucinia set up Ary’s wheelchair before helping the girl in question out of the wagon.

  Ary’s wide eyed curiosity subsided as she left the wagon, her eyes instead settling upon Sophie’s. She flashed a happy smile and reached up to grab Sophie’s hands, giving them a gentle caress before releasing them with a delighted giggle.

  “So this is where you grew up.” Ary cooed.

  “Aye. It is.” Sophie smiled back.

  “And we get to stay in the manor?”

  “That we do.”

  “At least that’s fitting for a visit of this caliber.” Lucinia huffed.

  “Sorry, Lucinia, not much else to offer here in the north.” Sophie teased.

  “I expected as much. Though like I said before, I do appreciate it.”

  Sophie and Ary shared a giggle before Ary looked expectantly behind her. Sophie gladly moved to push Ary along when someone snapped their fingers to get her attention. She found Sophia looking at her oddly before her twin gestured towards where Eva and Hilda were. Curious, Sophie followed her gaze and found Hilda looking absolutely mortified.

  That’s what happens when we look alike, one problem becomes two. Sophia teased her.

  I swear I wasn’t that much of a handful back then, Sophie shot back.

  Sophia just kept smirking while Sophie scowled at her.

  “You three go ahead, I am the quartermaster after all. I’ll make sure everything gets where it needs to.” Lucinia sighed.

  “Nonsense, I am not staying next to these two displaying affection for an extended period of time. Driving the wagon was enough.” Sophia protested.

  “Aww.” Ary jokingly complained.

  “Here, hup.” Sophia grunted as she helped unload their bags.

  Acquiescing and a little delighted that she would hopefully be able to steal a few moments with Ary herself. Sophie strapped both Ary and her bags to her shoulder while Ary sprawled a spare one across her lap. Sophie brought the two of them up to where Eva was waiting, Hilda thankfully already off managing the manor.

  “Fancy place.” Suzuki commented, Emi nodding approvingly along.

  “Hah, it’s not as fancy as the cathedral or the dorms. But the guest house is still pretty nice.” Eva chatted.

  “Any practice rooms for Miyuki?”

  “Maybe. Depends on what rooms my brother’s cohort are taking up.”

  “Not the small one right?”

  “Yeah, Theodore’s the bigger one. He’s a knight but well, I doubt he’d be able to push any of you around.” Eva chuckled, “Ah! Sophie! Aryana! The rest of your stuff?”

  “Sophia and Lucinia are making sure everything’s sorted.”

  “Alright, alright. Suzuki, once everyone’s sorted on our end, just call for Captain Gunter and the house guards will help you guys move your stuff to the guest house.”

  “Got it, sensei.”

  “Take care of things here then. Soph, Aryana, follow me, I’ll take you to your room heh.” Eva grinned.

  Rosengart manor was almost exactly as she remembered from a year ago. The central fireplace was currently unlit given that Theodore’s contingent was out of the manor. A grand entry hall welcomed them as two sets of grand stairs led upwards while two hallways jutted out from either side and one in the rear which led to the dining room. A wall of portraits of old family members and current ones watched over the entryway, Eva immediately looking a bit more bashful when catching sight of her own staring back at her.

  Eva led them to the stairway and then seemed to feel an immense wave of regret when she remembered Ary’s current condition. But without letting the moment get awkward, Ary had her arms outstretched, her fingers grasping at the air like a toddler. Taking her cue, Sophie lifted her up, the added weight alongside their bags making Sophie sway and almost topple over. But her feet eventually stabilized and she wobbled a little before steadying herself and heading up the stairs.

  “Sorry.” Ary mumbled.

  “It’s fine.” Sophie snuck in a kiss, “I don’t mind.”

  “Eh, the problem’s on me. I completely forgot.” Eva added.

  “It’s fine, really. I feel bad for being a burden to Sophie. But being carried like a princess is pretty nice.” Ary beamed.

  “Are you saying I should do this more often?” Sophie joked.

  “Hmmm, maybe?” Ary giggled.

  “Save it for the bedroom, you two.” Eva scoffed cheerily.

  The three shared a small laugh as they passed by familiar halls. There had been some changes to the interior that Sophie found quite pleasing. Cozy brown and red wallpapers helped create a somewhat darker but more ‘rustic’ atmosphere as Lucinia might describe it as. But it felt homely and welcoming in its own way.

  Second floor. Two doors down on the left, Eva’s room. This remained the same as it was before. Two small hall tables flanked her doorway, candles and a little empty jug sitting idly upon them. Both Sophie and Eva paused for a second, the girls trading a friendly glance before Eva reached into her pocket to pull out a key and tentatively gave the door lock a try.

  With a click then a clack, she then reached for the door handle and pushed. Ever so slowly, it began to be swung open, the ever familiar squeak that cried out from its hinges clearly hadn’t been fixed in the interim. A gentle almost floral smell was interrupted by the dusty stale air that followed. The three of them had to shield their mouths and noses as it brushed past them.

  A large carpet greeted them, now likely dustier than ever. It led towards a spacious double bed which somewhat hid the desk and row of shelving that pressed against the window of the room. Along the walls, a few dressers, cabinets and an armoire stood unused since the last time Eva had been here. The girl herself let out a dismissive groan when she realized how much cleaning would need to be done.

  “How…?” Sophie began.

  “When I got the temporary banishment. I wasn’t exactly in the best of mood and basically left without coming back. So… cut out an extra day for travel time and it’s probably been about a little over a half year.”

  “Wow. You can probably imagine what I want to say.” Sophie smirked.

  “Ugh, I know. Keep an eye on things. But how exactly was I supposed to keep this clean without being back here?”

  “You could always have had someone clean it, at least.”

  “Maybe. But you know I don’t trust them not to rummage through my shit. Only when you were around, or even just you.” Eva mused.

  “This was, is, your room?” Ary asked.

  “Yeah. It’s uhh, a little dusty though.” Eva sniggered, “Still, it is… my room. Huh.”

  “Mmhmm, it is.” Sophie hummed wistfully.

  “Right, anyway let’s get you guys to your room.” Eva turned on her heel, a disconcerted look on her face.

  “Eva?”

  “Nothing, Soph. Just a lot running through my mind right now.”

  “Okay. Well, you know where I’ll be staying if you want to chat about it.”

  “Pfft. I’ll keep it in mind Sophie. And… here we go.” Eva laughed as they turned the corner of the hallway, the girl dramatically presenting a startled looking maid holding a broom and pail instead of the room.

  “Oh, umm, sorry, milady. The room isn’t quite ready yet.” The maid stammered.

  “Oops, it’s fine. Can you open the door anyways? You’re a new hire, right? Ilse?”

  The panicked maid emphatically nodded as she scrambled to unlock the door. The girl’s sudden fear at having to interact directly with a member of the household reminded Sophie of herself back then. Always trying to stay out of sight, out of mind, for all but Eva. After fumbling with a few keys, she finally found one for the guest room and opened the door.

  It was noticeably smaller than Eva’s, with half the length of it having been turned into another guest room if Sophie remembered correctly. Still, it was comfortably bigger than the size of their Academy dorm and noticeably better furnished too. Intricate looking vanities, tables, little footstools and chairs were scattered around the place. An organized chaos that likely resulted from the maid’s hurried attempts to clean out the room as quickly as she could.

  “Ilse?” Sophie called out.

  “Yes?!” The maid let out a panicked shriek at being addressed.

  “Relax. I know it’s a bit off putting to hear it from me. But I’ve been where you are, I know Hilda demands perfection.”

  “Uhhh…”

  “I was Eva’s, uhh, Lady Rosengart’s personal maid for a decade and a half, after all.” Sophie shot the petrified girl a friendly smile, "Basically, don't worry, you're fine."

  Her words didn’t seem to quite hit home, but the maid didn’t seem to be shaking or opposed to them.

  “Ah yes, speaking of that. If you would kindly, Ilse.” Eva spoke up.

  “Yes?” The girl let out another startled squeak.

  “While we’re here, could you do me a favor and be responsible for Lady Aryana here should Sophie or myself be unavailable?”

  Ilse seemed confused at first, staring between the three until she finally clocked onto the fact that Ary was being carried by Sophie while Eva was helping lug the folded wheelchair behind them. She then turned to Ary who simply bobbed her head enthusiastically.

  “O-of course, milady. But Madam Hilda…”

  “I’ll handle her. If she gives you grief because of this, I’ll handle her.”

  There was a strangely commanding tone to Eva’s voice that Sophie couldn’t quite place. Though she attributed that to her mistress having been an instructor to the saints for so long that she must’ve adopted a part of that persona into herself. Heh, drill captain Eva.

  “Understood. Madam. Is there anything else I can do right now?” Ilse finally managed to steady her breathing.

  “Uhh, yes, actually. I’d appreciate it if you could maybe do a cursory sweep of my room as well. Oh, and get a spare key for this guest room from the majordomo.”

  “At once, my lady.” Ilse awkwardly bowed and shuffled around the corner.

  The three waited until they heard Eva’s room door open and close before continuing.

  “She’s just like you.”

  “She was.”

  Eva and Sophie shared a fond chuckle.

  “Anyways you two, here’s your room. Not as grand but plenty comfortable, or so I’ve heard.”

  “Yay, room!” Ary cheered.

  “It’s a bit messy right now, but try to get things organized for now. Soph, you know the place, get what you need or fix what you want. Anyone who gives you grief just let me know. I’ll head back downstairs to give the others a hand, yeah?”

  Sophie solemnly nodded.

  “And try not to get too frisky, we still have dinner arrangements and some exploration to do before nightfall.” Eva teased.

  Sophie and Ary traded a look before both of them blushed and looked away. Eva cackled to herself at the reaction as she left them alone.

  Sophie carefully moved Ary to the bed and set her down, the redhead now taking the time to glance around the room as her eyes explored the place. Sophie quietly set the wheelchair off to the side as she busied herself cleaning what she could and stowing their bags away. Wouldn’t have gotten any room this fancy a year ago, heh. Goddess... it feels so strange to be back. And i'm definitely not the same person I was back them, am I?